Flames
by sayxanything
Summary: Missing scene from "Something Wicked This Way Comes". Grace goes to the Girardi's and tries to forget.


SPOILER: Season 2 Finale

Disclaimer: Joan of Arcadia is not mine, don't sue me, I have no money so it's no fun for you anyway.

When Will had brought Grace and her father tothe Girardihouse, Grace wished a million times that Luke was home.

Hewasn't home.

Grace kept her eyes on the Girardi's kitchen table and ordered herself not to cry. Joan sat next to her, and though she knew better then to try and physically comfort Grace, she didn't move from her best friend's side.

"We're pretty sure that the person who did this must be the same person who vandalized the church earlier this week." Will said. "We will catch whoever did this Rabbi."

Rabbi Polanski nodded. "Thank you." He looked at Grace to his right. "I'm going to go back to the synagogue and see how things are going, okay?"

"I'll drive you. I've got to get back to the guys and see how it's going." Will said.

"Grace is welcome to stay with us for tonight." Helen said from across the table. Grace looked up for the first time that night and took a look at the people in the room. Helen and Will kept there eyes on her father and when Grace turned to look at Joan they met eyes. Joan's expression changed quickly to genuinely concerned when she saw tears flooding Grace's eyes but refusing to fall. Grace would not cry in front of Joan.

Rabbi Polanski stood and kissed Grace on the top of her head. "I'll see you tomorrow, Gracie."

Just as he opened the door, Luke walked in. The Rabbi left, followed by Will, while Luke's expression stood nothing short of confused as he stopped in his tracks at the site before him. Grace sat at the kitchen table, looking so unusually small, as if she was trying to disappear into the chair. He eyes were swollen and her nose red. She looked completely rung out. She didn't look up at him like his family did.

"What's going on?" He asked a bit fearfully. His mind automatically assumed something had happened involving Grace's mother.

Helen stood from the table. "Joan, why don't you take Grace upstairs and set up somewhere for her to sleep?" Luke made eyes contact with Grace before she stood, presenting her with a silent plead to understand. Grace walked by him quickly and followed Joan upstairs. Luke watched her go.

"Give her some time, Luke." Helen told him gently. "Someone burnt her father's synagogue down." Luke felt his heart drop.

He fumbled for words. "L-like the same person who, uh, um, did that…thing…to the church?" It was the first time he could remember stumbling over words so badly that they came out sounding that stupid.

"That's what they think." Helen answered, standing up and moving towards the sink.

"We brought her here so she wouldn't have to stay and watch it burn. And her father said something about her mother being out so we offered to have her stay here for the night so she's not alone."

Though he knew Grace's mother wasn't out, the first thing that came out of his mouth was, "She was _there_?"

"She wasn't hurt at all." Helen said quickly. "But, yes, she saw it burn. The building's completely destroyed. She'll need someone tonight, Luke."

Luke nodded before heading upstairs. He knew she needed someone.

He walked into Joan in the upstairs hallway. "Oh, hey, Luke", She began. "Grace's in my room…if you want to talk to her."

Luke nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

Joan walked downstairs. He made sure she was out of earshot before he slowly opened Joan's bedroom door.

Grace was there, sitting on Joan's bed. She had taken her leather jacket off and sat with her legs over the edge of the bed, staring downward at her feet.

"Grace?"

She didn't answer, but Luke took strong note of the way her brow suddenly wrinkled. He quickly moved next to her on the bed and gently took her in his arms, pulling her onto his lap. She didn't protest, but went with it, like she was suddenly too weak to fight back. He gently pushed her face into his neck, knowing she wouldn't want him to see her cry, and he knew she was painfully close to tears. She grabbed onto his shirt gave into the warmth of his body. Her throat ached from holding in cries and something suddenly jumped inside of her and she couldn't take it anymore. Her small body racked with painful and equally heart wrenching sobs. He felt his own bottom lip tremble as he smoothed one hand over her hair and gently rubbed her back with the other. He turned his head towards her ear and whispered soft words of comfort, willing to do anything to make her feel better. He brushed his lips across her cheek before he quietly told her, "I'm always here for you."


End file.
